Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-05-12
"A SUNFISH WRECK.
How It Was Finally Brought Into
Port

A few seasons ago, reports OF good
fishing drew me to the mouth of the ST.
Johns. in Florida-a more retired spot
it would perhaps be difficult to find. On
each side of the rivers mouth stood a
little hamlet - the one on the north
bank being the home of the genial pi-
lots who followed their adventurous
calling off shore. The houses were
built literally upon an ancient oyster
bed, and by digging down a few feet,
the shells were found interspersed with
broken pottery of a race lost to all in
tents and purposes, now represented by
these few crude remains.
In former years, the river flowed
over the spot. and the oysters grew,
ilourished and built up the bank higher
and higher. until finally it reached the
surface, the floating matter coming
down the river, then lodging among
them and increasing the deposit. The
oysters We're killed by the pottery
makers, and the shells heaped up until
at last the river was pushed to the
south, and the old bed became part
of the land proper.
On the opposite bank stood the little
town of Mayport, ever threatened by
the fine sand that lies in heaps and
mounds like snow.
was shown a heap of this, that was
said to conceal house. and it was evil
dent that constant care alone prevented
the gardens of the place from being
covered. When the wind was high the
whirled aloft. taking strange shapes,
and borne away over the dunes far in
land, so Mayport was not particularly
attractive place.
The men We're nearly all fishermen.
and many of them descendants of the
old Minorcans who were brought to
st. Augustine So many years ago and
SO cruelty treated.
The St. Johns at the mouth is over a
mile across. and has several channels
that are liable to change at any mo-
ment; the outward current acting in
one way, and the waves of the ocean
directly against it in opposition. so
there is continual warfare. In the
middle of the mouth these two oppos-
ing forces have heaped up long sand
bar. that to-day is an island and to-
morrow shoal several feet under
water. and withal dangerous spot,
marked at the time of my visit by the
walking-beam of a steamer that had
gone ashore.
But the mouth of the river is not al
ways the scene of contest. Many DAYS,
even in winter. the water is as smooth
as glass. presenting an unruffled sur
face; the rustling of the palmetto leaves
dies away, and not sound breaks the
stiffness.
On such day. was watching q
shark line that was fastened to tree
and led into the water. patiently await
ing bite, when there rose a hail
from far away. Again it came. and
turning. l saw a man on the shore at
Pilot Town. waving his arm and point
ing down the river, and soon . boat put
-out, headed for the great shoaL
Not a vessel was in sight, -
searched the horizon. but finally. OIL
the shoal. nearly in front of me. l saw
what was evidently the object of their
attention. At first it appeared like a
spar that had grounded. but it had u
curious Swaying motion that showed it
possessed life. and soon it developed
into giant sunfish. which had gone
ashore on the bar. 1t had, in fact, be-
come a wreck. rs with all its mighty
struggles it could not move, and mere
ly swung about, falling over, and beat
ing the water into foam to right itself
again. becoming still more firmly
stranded. Its struggles increased as it
became involved in greater difficulties,
and its efforts TO regain deeper water
Were worthy greater success; but the
big sunfish was almost q total wreck,
and the wreckers were already on its
track.
How fish could run ashore like a
ship, can not be realized until we see
the outline of the suntish. In the
language of sailors. it draws more
water for its size than any fish that
.swims. Looking at it from the side. it
is an almost perfect oval. and in the
Mediterranean sea it is called the
moonfsh; but if we look at it from the